Beyond the Bars

Photo - (c)Britta Jaschinski

In 2017 Born Free has gone ‘back to our roots’, with a focus on our work to challenge the exploitation of wild animals in captivity.

Throughout the world millions of animals are exploited in zoos, circuses, marine parks and private collections for human ‘entertainment’. Wild animals suffer physically and mentally from the lack of freedom that captivity imposes.

“The suffering and deprivation of countless wild creatures in captivity around the world never ceases to motivate and inspire us.”

Virginia McKenna OBEBorn Free Founder

Born Free’s Zoo Check campaign is at the very heart of our wildlife charity and we remain determined to stop suffering and phase-out zoos and captive exploitation. We challenge the multi-billion pound global captive industry and are a voice for captive animals. Born Free investigates neglect and cruelty, exposes suffering and exploitation, raises public awareness, campaigns for tighter legislation and publishes ground-breaking reports.

“Zoos have reached a dead-end: millions of captive animals in inadequate conditions, widespread suffering, abnormal behaviours. Few endangered species and practically none released to the wild. Animals locked up for life deserve better. Time to move on.”

Will Travers OBEPresident

We never forget any of these tragic prisoners, instincts denied, reduced to objects so people can display them, own them, control them. But make no mistake, they still have wild hearts. Born Free won’t stop fighting until captive animal suffering is brought to an end. If you love and respect wild animals as we do, please support Beyond the Bars and our work to end captive exploitation. Together we will speak up for the animals that rely on us.